2018-04-18 Conference on the Cuban market with the CCMM

Cuba: An isolated market to prioritize

Practical strategies to take advantage of a favourable situation for our exporters

The Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal, in collaboration with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Canada-Cuba, is organizing a conference on April 18th, 2018, from 8:30 a.m. to noon.

Description of the seminar

Cuba is the largest Caribbean export market for Canada and, for the last ten years, this country has been among our top 50 main export markets. This market still depends on imports to meet the majority of its needs, importing more than 80% of its merchandise.

Canadian companies have everything to gain from learning about the current opportunities in a market that’s at the center of the Caribbeans.

On April 18, 2018, come meet business owners who have broken into this market and want to share their experience in the field and offer you practical suggestions for successfully exporting into the country.

This seminar will help you take stock of Cuba’s current situation and learn about its different facets, like its business culture, legal and financial framework and potential business sectors.

Program

8h30 : Participants registration
9h00 Opening Remarks
9h05 : Conference by Mrs Josefina Vidal Ferreiro, Ambassador of Cuba to Canada
9h25 : Conference by Mrs Nancy Lussier, President of the CCICC
9h45 : Panel from entrepreneurs
- Gustavo Szejnberg, Directeur Développement d’Affaires International, Banque Nationale du Canada
- Mario Lussier, Vice-président, Groupe Lussier
- France Dionne, Directrice générale exécutive, Institut de tourisme et d’hôtellerie du Québec (ITHQ)
- Luc Allary, Directeur Développement des affaires et Ventes – Caraïbes et Amérique Centrale, Corporation Canadienne du Commerce
- Benoit Brouillette, Directeur Général, Labplas
10h15 : Coffee break and networking
10h45 : Round table discussion
- Legal and fiscal framework in Cuba
  - Gregory Biniowsky, Gowling WLG
  - Cyril Arnaud, Directeur Général de la Chambre de commerce et d’industrie Canada-Cuba
- Logistical procedures to Cuba
  - Bill Shatner, Protos Shipping
- Doing business in Cuba
  - Anita Labelle, CCC
  - Mara Bilbao, Consul Générale de Cuba à Montréal
- Governmental support and programmes
  - Guillaume Jobin, Conseiller en affaires internationales, Export Québec du ministère de l’Économie, de la Science et de l’Innovation – Amérique latine
  - Cristina Ramos, Délégué commerciale de la République de Cuba
- Financing and exchange rates
  - Antoine Lajoie, Finmetrix
  - Gustavo Szejnberg, Directeur Développement d’Affaires Internationales – Banque Nationale du Canada